RH

"Rob Hall"

24/02/2004 1:26 AM

ridgid tools

How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market? In particular I am
looking at the 15" drill press. I will be using it relatively regularly,
but it won't be getting much hard use. Your thoughts are welcome.

Thanks
Rob

--
Live bravely so that you may die free.


This topic has 12 replies

TG

The Good Bohemian

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 10:57 AM

In article <[email protected]>, Rob Hall
<[email protected]> wrote:

> How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market? In particular I am
> looking at the 15" drill press. I will be using it relatively regularly,
> but it won't be getting much hard use. Your thoughts are welcome.
>
> Thanks
> Rob

You will here a lot of info contrary to this but I will give you my
nickel anyway. The DP1500 (the older model) press was reviewed in an
anual tool issue of FWW I think... as one of the 15" presses with the
least amount of runout. I bought it and have been very happy with it.
That being said, you will not be able to retrofit the Delta mortising
kit to it unless you use custom shims. I used a cheap-o Mastercraft
(Crappy tire) mortising kit with the 60mm shim and it works just fine.

Anyway, it may not be the best machine on the market but it seems very
good quality (all cast iron... heavy duty motor and nice thick pulley's
and idler). Draw your own conclusions. I have not demo'd the newer
model... I think it's the DP1550 or 05 or something...


HTH
Andrew.

TG

The Good Bohemian

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 10:59 AM

In article <[email protected]>, Mortimer
Schnerd, RN <[email protected]> wrote:

> Rob Hall wrote:
> > How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market? In particular I am
> > looking at the 15" drill press. I will be using it relatively regularly,
> > but it won't be getting much hard use. Your thoughts are welcome.
>
>
> I just bought one (the model 1550) on closeout a couple of weeks ago from HD
> for
> $250. I don't know about the brand new ones, but this particular one was
> built
> by Emerson. I couldn't be happier with it. The only difficulty I had with it
> was getting it out of my Taurus (it took two big guys to stuff it in there at
> HD
> but I'm on my own at home).
>
> I traded my next door neighbor a shot of single malt to help me lift the head
> onto the column. I wish to hell he'd been around earlier when I was trying to
> muscle it out of the car. But I digress....


I agree... Unfortunately I had no neighbour handy at the time and
yanked it out of my car, down the stairs into the shop alone. Lifting
that damn motor/head and aligning it alone is a task I'd rather not
repeat. it is a heavy SOB indeed.

Andrew.

LL

LRod

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 9:13 PM

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 10:59:40 -0500, The Good Bohemian
<[email protected]> wrote:


>> I traded my next door neighbor a shot of single malt to help me lift the head
>> onto the column. I wish to hell he'd been around earlier when I was trying to
>> muscle it out of the car. But I digress....
>
>
>I agree... Unfortunately I had no neighbour handy at the time and
>yanked it out of my car, down the stairs into the shop alone. Lifting
>that damn motor/head and aligning it alone is a task I'd rather not
>repeat. it is a heavy SOB indeed.

Harrumph! You should have been around to help me wrestle my Delta
17-925 (expensive, variable speed DP) around. THAT was heavy.

(Oh, no. I hope this doesn't start one of those "you had dirt?"
threads)


- -
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to LRod on 24/02/2004 9:13 PM

24/02/2004 11:58 PM

LRod writes:

>Harrumph! You should have been around to help me wrestle my Delta
>17-925 (expensive, variable speed DP) around. THAT was heavy.
>
>(Oh, no. I hope this doesn't start one of those "you had dirt?"
>threads)

Oh, nuts. My wife had no trouble loading a contractor's saw (Ridgid TS2424)
into my pick-up Saturday morning. Just lift and shove it forward to where I
tied it down. Saw weighs maybe 250 lbs.

Of course, that's one of the major reasons I bought an engine hoist some years
ago. Simplfies life considerably in a woodshop.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 2:54 AM


"Rob Hall" writes:
> How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market?

The Ridgid Tool division of Emerson Electric is a far cry from the Ridgid
Tool Company, Elyria, Oh, I called on before Emerson bought them.

I was at Ridgid the day it was announced that Emerson had bought them.

There were a lot of glum faces that day. Those people foresaw what was
ahead.

Today, the Ridgid name represents little more than a "Henry Home Owner"
grade of consumer product.

If that fills your need, fine; however, don't expect to buy a quality
product for less than it's fair value.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures

gG

[email protected] (GTO69RA4)

in reply to "Lew Hodgett" on 24/02/2004 2:54 AM

24/02/2004 3:01 AM

Emerson bought Ridgid? The information I got was that Ridgid licensed their to
Home Depot/Emerson to use on a line of stationary power tools. Ryobi and Metabo
are now in on it making the portable ones.

GTO(John)

>The Ridgid Tool division of Emerson Electric is a far cry from the Ridgid
>Tool Company, Elyria, Oh, I called on before Emerson bought them.
>
>I was at Ridgid the day it was announced that Emerson had bought them.
>
>There were a lot of glum faces that day. Those people foresaw what was
>ahead.
>
>Today, the Ridgid name represents little more than a "Henry Home Owner"
>grade of consumer product.
>
>If that fills your need, fine; however, don't expect to buy a quality
>product for less than it's fair value.
>
>HTH
>
>
>--
>Lew
>
>S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
>Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures

cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to "Lew Hodgett" on 24/02/2004 2:54 AM

24/02/2004 9:20 AM

Lew Hodgett writes:

>"Rob Hall" writes:
>> How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market?
>
>The Ridgid Tool division of Emerson Electric is a far cry from the Ridgid
>Tool Company, Elyria, Oh, I called on before Emerson bought them.
>
>I was at Ridgid the day it was announced that Emerson had bought them.
>
>There were a lot of glum faces that day. Those people foresaw what was
>ahead.
>
>Today, the Ridgid name represents little more than a "Henry Home Owner"
>grade of consumer product.
>
>If that fills your need, fine; however, don't expect to buy a quality
>product for less than it's fair value.

Yeah, but Emerson no longer makes Ridgid power tools, except for the vacs.

They're now made by the parent company of Ryobi. I've got one of the TS3650
table saws out in the shop. I hope to have time to start assembling it today,
or tomorrow. From just looking at it, it's a good contractor's saw.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

MT

Mark Teller

in reply to "Lew Hodgett" on 24/02/2004 2:54 AM

24/02/2004 7:27 AM

Charlie Self wrote:

>
> They're now made by the parent company of Ryobi. I've got one of the
> TS3650 table saws out in the shop. I hope to have time to start
> assembling it today, or tomorrow. From just looking at it, it's a good
> contractor's saw.
>


I was looking at Ridgid tools in the 'Borg until I found out they were
made by Ryobi. At that point I started looking at other brands.
Several years ago I bought some Ryobi tools. They were light-weight
and I felt they were poorly designed.

They may be totally different now, but I don't want to spend the money
to find out.



cC

[email protected] (Charlie Self)

in reply to Mark Teller on 24/02/2004 7:27 AM

24/02/2004 2:55 PM

Mark Teller writes:

>
>I was looking at Ridgid tools in the 'Borg until I found out they were
>made by Ryobi. At that point I started looking at other brands.
>Several years ago I bought some Ryobi tools. They were light-weight
>and I felt they were poorly designed.
>
>They may be totally different now, but I don't want to spend the money
>to find out.

Well, I can speak for the table saw: it is NOT lightweight. In fact, it may
well be the heaviest contractor saw out there. Package weight is 317 pounds,
IIRC. It will probably stand up at 300+ pounds.

For a long time, Ryobi's light weight came from a more than usual inclination
to use aluminum castings, which made the older 8-1/2" slide compound miter saws
a delight to carry around--and the oldest models were durable and accurate.
TS220 or TS200? Can't recall which now.

Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to "Lew Hodgett" on 24/02/2004 2:54 AM

24/02/2004 3:50 AM


"GTO69RA4" writes:
> Emerson bought Ridgid?

Late 70's.


--
Lew

SO/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the
Southland)
Visit: <http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett> for Pictures

PK

Paul Kierstead

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 9:33 PM

In article <240220041059408561%[email protected]>,
> I agree... Unfortunately I had no neighbour handy at the time and
> yanked it out of my car, down the stairs into the shop alone. Lifting
> that damn motor/head and aligning it alone is a task I'd rather not
> repeat. it is a heavy SOB indeed.

I just put togather a Delta 17-965 today (replacing my 12" Delta). The
head must be upwards of 150lbs. Putting that on alone was a serious
adventure and involved standing on the workbench so I could lift with my
legs....

Almost as much fun as putting togather my General [International]
tablesaw a couple of years ago. Almost.

Paul

MS

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN"

in reply to "Rob Hall" on 24/02/2004 1:26 AM

24/02/2004 8:28 AM

Rob Hall wrote:
> How do Ridgid tools compare to the rest of the market? In particular I am
> looking at the 15" drill press. I will be using it relatively regularly,
> but it won't be getting much hard use. Your thoughts are welcome.


I just bought one (the model 1550) on closeout a couple of weeks ago from HD for
$250. I don't know about the brand new ones, but this particular one was built
by Emerson. I couldn't be happier with it. The only difficulty I had with it
was getting it out of my Taurus (it took two big guys to stuff it in there at HD
but I'm on my own at home).

I traded my next door neighbor a shot of single malt to help me lift the head
onto the column. I wish to hell he'd been around earlier when I was trying to
muscle it out of the car. But I digress....

This thing has a lot of power, runs smoothly and vibration free. I wouldn't
hesitate to buy it again. FWIW, American Woodworker listed the earlier model
1500 a Best Buy:

http://www.rd.com/americanwoodworker/toolguide/TT_DrillPress.pdf




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

[email protected]
http://www.mortimerschnerd.com



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